scholarly journals Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes: pathophysiological mechanisms shared between the two faces of the same coin

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlo Acierno ◽  
Alfredo Caturano ◽  
Pia Clara Pafundi ◽  
Riccardo Nevola ◽  
Luigi Elio Adinolfi ◽  
...  

The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the close relationship between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are multiple, complex and only partially known. The purpose of this paper was to review the current knowledge of these mechanisms in a unified manner. Subjects with NAFLD and T2DM have established insulin resistance (IR), which exacerbates the two comorbidities. IR worsens NAFLD by increasing the accumulation of free fatty acids (FFAs) in the liver. This occurs due to an increase in the influx of FFAs from peripheral adipose tissue by the activation of hormone-sensitive lipase. In addition, there is de novo increased lipogenesis, a transcription factor, the sterols regulatory element-binding transcription factor 1c (SREBP-1c), which activates the expression of several genes strongly promotes lipogenesis by the liver and facilitate storage of triglycerides. Lipids accumulation in the liver induces a chronic stress in the endoplasmic reticulum of the hepatocytes. Genome-wide association studies have identified genetic variants associated with NAFLD severity, but unrelated to IR. In particular, the alteration of patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3 contributes to the susceptibility to NAFLD. Furthermore, the lipotoxicity of ceramides and diacylglycerol, well known in T2DM, triggers a chronic inflammatory process favoring the progression from hepatic steatosis to steatohepatitis. Reactive oxygen species produced by mitochondrial dysfunction trigger both liver inflammation and beta-cells damage, promoting the progression of both NAFLD and T2DM. The close association between NAFLD and T2DM is bidirectional, as T2DM may trigger both NAFLD onset and its progression, but NAFLD itself may contribute to the development of IR and T2DM. Future studies on the mechanisms will have to deepen the knowledge of the interaction between the two pathologies and should allow the identification of new therapeutic targets for the treatment of NAFLD, currently substantially absent.

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kei Nakajima

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are multidisciplinary liver diseases that often accompany type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome, which are characterized by insulin resistance. Therefore, effective treatment of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome should target not only the cardiometabolic abnormalities, but also the associated liver disorders. In the last decade, it has been shown that metformin, thiazolidinediones, vitamin E, ezetimibe, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers, and antiobesity drugs may improve hepatic pathophysiological disorders as well as clinical parameters. Accordingly, insulin sensitizers, antioxidative agents, Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) inhibitors, RAS blockers, and drugs that target the central nervous system may represent candidate pharmacotherapies for NAFLD and possibly NASH. However, the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of long-term treatment (potentially for many years) with these drugs have not been fully established. Furthermore, clinical trials have not comprehensively examined the efficacy of lipid-lowering drugs (i.e., statins, fibrates, and NPC1L1 inhibitors) for the treatment of NAFLD. Although clinical evidence for RAS blockers and incretin-based agents (GLP-1 analogs and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors) is also lacking, these agents are promising in terms of their insulin-sensitizing and anti-inflammatory effects without causing weight gain.


JGH Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Shafi Kuchay ◽  
Narendra Singh Choudhary ◽  
Sunil Kumar Mishra ◽  
Tarannum Bano ◽  
Sakshi Gagneja ◽  
...  

Diabetes Care ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. dc210131
Author(s):  
Chi-Ho Lee ◽  
Wai-Kay Seto ◽  
David Tak-Wai Lui ◽  
Carol Ho-Yi Fong ◽  
Helen Yilin Wan ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 95 (10) ◽  
pp. 1141-1148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Sid ◽  
Yaw L. Siow ◽  
Karmin O

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a spectrum of chronic liver conditions that are characterized by steatosis, inflammation, fibrosis, and liver injury. The global prevalence of NAFLD is rapidly increasing in proportion to the rising incidence of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Because NAFLD is a multifaceted disorder with many underlying metabolic abnormalities, currently, there is no pharmacological agent that is therapeutically approved for the treatment of this disease. Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin that plays an essential role in one-carbon transfer reactions involved in nucleic acid biosynthesis, methylation reactions, and sulfur-containing amino acid metabolism. The liver is the primary organ responsible for storage and metabolism of folates. Low serum folate levels have been observed in patients with obesity and diabetes. It has been reported that a low level of endogenous folates in rodents perturbs folate-dependent one-carbon metabolism, and may be associated with development of metabolic diseases such as NAFLD. This review highlights the biological role of folate in the progression of NAFLD and its associated metabolic complications including obesity and type 2 diabetes. Understanding the role of folate in metabolic disease may position this vitamin as a potential therapeutic for NAFLD.


Diabetes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 70 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 863-P
Author(s):  
ANASTASIA-STEFANIA ALEXOPOULOS ◽  
RYAN DUFFY ◽  
ELIZABETH A. KOBE ◽  
CYNTHIA A. MOYLAN ◽  
AMY S. JEFFREYS ◽  
...  

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